Ryan Kelly: News

Looks like I'll be reprising my role, (woman 1), in the Sinatra musical review My Way. Hopefully, Jay Montgomery, (my man 1 co-star from The Gateway Playhouse Production), will also re-create his portrayal. Everything is:

"Lovelier, the second time around."

This production will be staged at SI Snug Harbor in May.

I'll list the individual dates as we get closer to the production.

. . ."LA is my lady!"

Myself Maureen & Rita, (The Sugar Bees), will be featured performers on Vito Picone's "Let The Good Times Roll." We're taping on Jan 28th 2008, will let you know what the air date & time is as soon as I know.

We'll be singing 3 or 4 do wop songs. Be sure to tune in!!

Watch out for this kid, he's very very talented. Joey Boren is a brilliant young playwright who happens to be my cousin. (I'm not prejudiced, this kid's got the gift of the blarney.)

Joey has graciously decided to bless myself and another collaborator, Kerry Wallum, with a new play. The piece is in its infancy and will remain nameless, but is already shaping up to be something different and very special. Joey's wielding this brain child to showcase me, Kerry, and some name talent.

Mr. Boren has studied at The Eugene O'Neill and is currently in the running for a play-writing fellowship for a completely different work. When Joey was in his late teens, a stage reading of his thought provoking piece Train's With Me, was honored and produced in a NYC Play-writing festival.

While I was filming Outrage in Atlanta, I met this really cool cat Kerry Wallum. He has his own film production company, (www.fasttalkinproductions.com, visit his site and check out a trailer of one of his many successful films), is a fierce actor, director, (just won a most coveted Remie Award for best direction on Shovel), owns and runs a ranch & produces records. Yeah, I was suspicious at first, but it's all true. Here's the best part folks, we are currently collaborating on a new play written by my brilliant cousin Joey Boren. And, as if that isn't enough, Kerry has decided he likes my originals so much he wants to produce them. Whoo hoo!

I'll keep everyone up to date on the progress of these two amazing endeavors.

I was just cast as the lead female in My Way, a musical tribute to Frank Sinatra!

Yes, it's an acting gig, but first and foremost, it's a singing show. So anyone who's wanted to see me live and hasn't been able to, now is the time!!! Check my calendar for dates and info.

Booked an American Airlines Commercial last week. There are a lot of little vignettes going on. I play a snooty upper east side young woman lunching at Sardis. I yell at and embarrass the wait staff becuase my meal is unsatisfactory.

James Gandalfini is in the commercial, (too funny.) An older, classy, rich woman is screaming at him over a cab ride.

The commercial airs in Britain and may be on the internet as well.

We shoot tomorrow. Can't wait!

I was recently cast as Sissy the a feature film Outrage, produced by Paul Diagnese, directed by Ace Cruz, (Spirit Films.)

I'm lucky to be working with a host of talented folks in this picture. Right at the top of the list is Michael Madsen, (Reservior Dogs, The Kill Bill series, Donnie Brosco etc.) We shoot in the hills of Atlanta at the end of April into May.

Here's the plot:
Two couples vacationing in the Mountains come head to head with a band of killers. (Will they survive?!?!)

I'm not going to reveal anything else. You'll just have to see it in the movies!

Some memorable quotes from this crazy show:

"I'm just saying, words, doors, sardies, bags, boxes, us."

"Stick it down, put it back, never saw it!"

"When I think I used to do banks, when I remember I used to do bullion vaults. . .What am I doing now, I'm breaking into paper bags."

Love to the cast. I miss you guys already MWAH!!

Finally got these three new tunes on the site. They're raw, simple piano & vocals, but I'm really proud of them.
Go to the music section and click to hear.

Happy New Year!!

What a great week this was. I was singing with so many different artists in soooooooooooo many different styles, from legit to jazz, to rock & roll. Also did a wonderful benefit for a college buddy of mine, Griffin Mathews. He's a supreme and courageous individual who believes it's possible to change the world.

The highlight of this weeks shows was performing with David Ippolito, Roger, George, Cassie, and David, at the end of the year concert at Merkin Hall. It was David's annual bash, and we performed his wonderful originals.
He's been pod-casting clips from the concert on his show ILTC on his site That Guitar Man From Central Park.

Griffin has launched an amazing campaign/ group/ organization, which he's dubbed, "Be The Change." Griffin has been making annual trips to Africa, Uganda, connecting befriending, and adopting many young people in need. He's brought 11 children enough funds for an entire year of education on the grammar, high school, and college level. I told Griffin, the next time I put up Radiant Women, (my one-woman show), I'd like to donate a portion of the proceeds to his amazing cause.
Mr. Mathews is the walking embodiment of Christmas all the year through; I hope his beautiful disease is catching.

I recorded three new tunes today:
R -O-Y-G-B-I-V,
Snow Storm, &
I'll Forget you.

I'll be putting clips of them on the site in a few days. The recordings are in singer songwriter form right now, vocals and piano only, which brings me to the subject of the "Production Bandwagon."

I'll be jumping on that run away stagecoach soon, but it's quite an expensive affair. Which producer to choose, and just how much money is enough money, but not ridiculous money? The music business is tougher than ever, what now with free downloads, Tower Records closing, CD's phasing out. Yet, the broad sweeping unregulated Internet also affords tremendous exposure for all kinds of music through my space, the pod safe network, and pod casting.

With all the download hoopla, you wonder if it's the wrong time to sign with a record company. Who's buying CD's anyway??

I'll get those three new songs up in a jiffy. I'm very proud of them. Happy Thanksgiving.

I was listening to an interview with Tony Bennett on NPR last night; Tony is such a fantastic singer/performer/speaker/artist. I'd love to be able to perform with him someday. He was speaking about his latest release, Duets, and commenting about how prepared each collaborating singer was and all the different styles they brought to the table.

He spoke of Paul McCartney, and said he completely understood the "intimate" sound, he spoke of Billie Joel's impeccable musicianship, he also cited that Barbara Streisand, had never recorded Smile, (written by Charles Chaplin), and with all of the unrest in the world Tony thought it would be a brilliant choice for her to sing with him on this CD.

The NPR interview also played Tony Bennett's selection with the Dixie Chicks, Lullaby of Broadway, (which happens to be mine and my mom's Mother Daughter/ Sister Sister Act closer.)

When asked about the most important elements of making this kind of album, (yes I still use that word, once in a while, I'll call it a vinyl too), Mr. Bennett said to make sure that there is a variety in the voices, and that no one copies, or emulates a style, but rather brings their own true voice to the music.

Tony said when Hank Williams first heard Tony's version of Cold Cold Heart, Hank said, Tony, what did you do to my song? Tony agreed that he didn't know how to present the material, because it was a country song with a completely different flavor. On Duets, Mr. Bennett sings Cold Cold Heart with Tim McGraw, and Tony commends Tim for what he brings to the song. Tony said he finally understood what he was missing, and learned a lot about the country genre from their session.

Isn't it amazing, Tony Bennett is still learning. I think he's the best we've got. I hope he tours forever.

This July I had the wonderful opportunity not only to play Maggie in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, but also to work with Edwin C. Owens, (who played Big Daddy in our production at West Virginia Public Theatre, and also covered the role in the 2003 Broadway revival.)

Unfortunately, Edwin passed in September, less than two months after we wrapped up Cat. I went to his memorial today, and was blown away by the beautiful people in Edwin's life.

Edwin's passion for acting, as well as his political fire were the subject of most of the service, we also spoke of his lust for life, and the glowing influence he had on every single person he came in contact with as a collaborator, performer, & friend, etc. We shared stories about his love of single malt scotch, his love of storytelling, and his big laugh.

Many of the people at the memorial, had become friends with Edwin after his successful bout with cancer in the late 90's. His clean bill of health gave him another 7 years to touch all of his new friends in the room.

I spoke of one particular moment we had on stage together in Cat. Maggie is left out to try by the entire cast, void of any physical contact, or emotional support until the third act as Big Daddy embraces her and says:

"Get up girl, get up off your knees. There's life in this girl’s body, and that's no lie."

It was the moment I looked forward to most in the entire show. Edwin also slapped me on the ass for added affirmation, and I loved receiving his life force every single time.

I love you Edwin, I'm fortunate and proud to have worked with you, and I miss you. . .
Thanks for the Cat Hat

Well, it's about time! My mom and I have been performing at different venues, or sneaking in a duet here and there for various productions, but now, we've got our own act! Yes, it's a mother daughter, (or is it a sister) act!?!?

People have told us in the past, you guys should do a show together, your harmonies are tight, you're both hilarious and beautiful, you've got great chemistry on stage, sew it up into an act. Here it is. . .it's adorable.

We salute great tunes from famed Broadway shows, delightful melodies from the silver screen, novelty duets out of the vaudeville scene, and throw in some vocal impersonations for good measure.

We get wonderful responses and it shows in our bookings! Check out the pictures from one of our performances in the photo gallery. I'll keep them coming. All the Mother Daughter/Sister Sister shows we have listed on the calendar are private, but if you’re interested in a wonderful novel act, please contact me, we love performing on stage together!

Hey ma, ya done good buddy boy. . .sing out Louise!!

David Ippolito played one of my original songs, Faces, last Thursday 8/28/06on his Podcast show, I Love The Company. He was also gracious enough to mention my name in the same sentence with David Freedman and Nancy LeMott. Thanks David

This summer was fantastic. June I spent choreographing for the talented cast of The Melody Lingers on at Snug Harbor Cultural Center, July took me to West Virginia to play Maggie in Cat On a Hot Tin Roof for W VA Public Theatre, and in August I studied in the first annual Johnny Mercer Song Writer's workshop at Northwestern University in Chicago.

The Song writer's workshop was particularly thrilling. I studied with master teachers, David Zippel, (who write the lyrics for The City Of Angels), John Bucchino, (who wrote Grateful), and Amanda McBroom, (who wrote The Rose.) The class was hosted by Mr. ASCAP himself, Michael Kerker.

Fall is starting to look rosy too. I started singing with David Ippolito, a fabulous guitar player/singer/songwriter, aka That Guitar Man From Central Park. (Check out his website on the list of links, he does a podcast Mon. thru Fri. cutting edge and political.) I sang with him in the park, and he's invited me to sing in his program at Merkin Concert Hall on Dec. 4th.

Mom and I, (I have a gorgeous mother check out her photos in the gallery), have a mother daughter act that's picking up speed in Manhattan and Staten Island, I'm performing with an amazing trio in Nov. and I'm teaching voice and hitting at least two auditions a day. (Didn't I see you at the Equity Building?? inside actor joke.)